SoulMate
by Ivy Darklight
Summary: Her father is a god, her mother died giving her birth. She is a ruler and yet sublime, she is Aliya. What ever could Ares want with her and how can Percy help?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey again! So to everyone who've read this series I've only read the first book so I'm going off of that...hope you like it and please review!**

Aliya arrived at Camp Half-Blood without incident. This was unusual in itself, but it was even more unusual because she did not have a Satyr with her. She did not have a hoard of monsters chasing after her, in fact not one of the teachers had ever heard of her. What she did have was a hair full of wild flowers that seemed to be woven in with no beginning and no end, clothes made entirely from the softest fur and a cloak of wolf fur. The strangest part of her ensemble was not the extra clothes of all black, the silver shoes or the fact that she had a small two headed dog with her; no the strangest thing about her was her staff.

The staff was made of the toughest wood and stained black. Starting at the center and wrapping it self around the rest of the staff was a snake. At the very top of the staff where the head was glared two piercing rubies. The staff also had a secret that not even the teachers knew about, during combat Aliya could pull apart the two ends of the staff and two swords tinted gold would be waiting for her to use.

Aliya's hair was the color of a raven's wing. It was straight and cut to give it an almost impish quality. Her skin was as pale as a fresh snow all year, unless she spent longer than a few hours in the sun then it would almost immediately become tan. Aliya's eyes changed with her emotion, but when she felt no strong emotion they were a deep amethyst.

At the moment Aliya had been at Camp Half-Blood for three days. She insisted that until her father came to visit that she'd remain in Hermes's cabin. Most of the children including Percy believed that she was actually a mortal playing at being god. After-all no monsters, no hint of powers and she didn't resemble any of the other children here. That was until she first came to spar with the others.

"Hello Percy, do you mind if I spar with you?" Aliya said. Like everyone in the camp she knew who Percy Jackson was, she'd known even before that.

Percy stuttered and then fell silent. He was about to tell her to go home with her own kind but that would have been rude. 'Perhaps,' he thought to himself pulling out his pen and uncapping it, 'she may just be a god, but no match for me.

"Alright Aliya, what is your weapon of choice?" Aliya smiled at the sword knowingly.

"Seeing as you're using you're father's sword, I'll use the staff my father gave me." Percy rolled his eyes and prepared for Aliya's attack. She sat staring at him for a moment and then with a swift movement she was gone. He searched around him, no sigh of her. He looked to the air and saw her just before her stroke struck his shoulder.

Percy fell to the ground and quickly recovered his footing. With just that one blow his entire arm had gone numb. He looked at Aliya, her black hair was slightly wind swept but she was not breathing hard she was just standing and staring at him as though she hadn't moved at all, he did happen to notice that her eyes had turned crimson.

"So I guess you aren't just a mortal." Percy said rubbing his shoulder and switching his sword to the other hand.

"You're finally getting it, and my father said that until I defeat you in a sparing match he won't come and publicly claim me." Percy wiped the sweat from his eyes. He smiled thinking that she was a daughter of Ares, that wouldn't be to hard after all his father was one of the Big Three.

Percy dove at her and she blocked his blow with her hand, as though she was flicking at an annoying fly. Feeling a rage boil up inside him he jumped and aimed a shot at her chest. She flew away; when she landed again he could see a tiny slit in her black shirt. She smiled.

"So you have some spunk in you, and here I was thinking that you half bloods didn't have it in them." Percy was taken aback, she was a half blood too, wasn't she?

"What do you mean by that?" She leaned on her staff and smirked, where had he seen that smirk before.

"What I mean by that is exactly what it sounds like, but you'll find that out soon enough Percy Jackson." He say her flick her wrist swiftly and then he was one the ground two blades pressed against his neck.

"Do you submit to me Percy, or do I have to draw your blood to make you admit defeat?" He could see it in her eyes that she meant business.

"I Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon submit to you Aliya." At once she got off of him and helped him off of the ground. She put the two blades back together to once again form the staff. He smile was radiant and her eyes turned turquoise.

"Does your arm still hurt?" She asked him suddenly looking at the sky. He nodded and she walked over to him. Slowly she put both hands on his shoulder and applied pressure.

Warmth flooded through his arm and it regained its feeling. Looking at Aliya her eyes had once again changed color, this time to a pale gold. She looked to be straining herself and when she took her hands off Percy caught sight of purple sparks still jumping around on his arm.

"Thank you…but how can you do that?" Aliya smiled and then pointed to the sky which was now black and stormy.

"My father is coming, his brother doesn't like him coming up here but he just uses the excuse that he's visiting his wife. Oh look here come the teachers."

All of the counsellors were gathering they looked ill at ease; following them were the students and the Satyrs. Some of them pointed at the sky and muttered others, looked ready to wet themselves. When a black rain began to pour many gasped or cried out, Aliya only looked out expectantly.

A form then appeared on the horizon and with him came an aura that Percy knew. The man wore all black and had a helmet made of silver in his hands. He wore a guise of a biker complete with a leather jacket.

"Daddy!" Aliya screamed and flung herself into the man's arms. Percy was surprised when he lifted her into the air and then hugged her close to him.

"Lord Hades we didn't expect to see you…" Mr. D began before he fell silent at the scene before them.

"I am surprised that you did not believe that she was my daughter, she looks like all the other children I've had…"

"All of your other children were males, every last one…" Chiron stated from the back of the crowd, Hades threw him a look and then hugged Aliya closer to him.

"Well, perhaps we should go inside, somewhere dry so that I can explain to Master Chiron why I have a daughter."

All of them followed Hades and Aliya into his cabin, it was large and oddly cheery for belonging to the Lord of the Dead.

"Where should I start? Hmmm…"

"Starting at the beginning of tale is often best Daddy." Aliya quirked up as she rested her head against his form. Percy was surprised that his uncle would allow this, or in fact that he had violated the pact he and his brothers had made.

"Right you are Aliya. So for years I followed the pact that my brothers and I made. Then when young Thalia appeared I was furious.

It was spring and my wife had just returned above ground to be with her mother. I was so lonely that I decided to go above and have one night of fun. While I was out I met many attractive and amazing mortal women but the most beautiful was a woman named Adora.

Adora and I spent the night talking about life and how much she wished she lived a normal life. She was drunk so I asked her why didn't she live a normal life. Adora told me 'You may not believe this but my father Kael was a son of the god Ares and he enticed his own goddess out of Olympus.' I asked her to tell me more, after all I was fascinated.

'My father was a man who lived off of the land, he never killed unless he had to. He was very handsome, almost a part of nature itself. Well one day he comes across a beautiful white stag in a hunters trap.

Instead of taking the shot, he let the animal free. He didn't even regret letting it go because he felt that he'd saved a life. Anyway the next day a woman knocks on his door. She says 'I am Artemis, goddess of the hunt and it was I you saved yesterday.'

My father could only stutter as she told him of her longing to find the right man. He was even more perplexed when she said that she finally had in him. So they made love and nine months later I arrived on his doorstep wrapped in baby's breath in a cradle made of sunflowers.'

I was surprised that no one on Olympus had noticed Artemis's pregnancy or the fact that she had in fact walked with a limp for quite some time.

'So' I say to her 'You are only one fourth mortal.' She smiled a seductive smile at me. 'Yes…' She slyly said and then added under her breath 'Lord Hades…' I was under her spell, a half god the first and only child of Artemis, and she was mine."

Needless to say I took her, but seeing as my daughter is here I will not go into more detail. I continued to visit Adora for the rest of the spring and summer. You must know that it was like Helen of Troy reborn, Adora was perfect.

During the fall and winter months I told my queen about Adora. She was hurt that I could not wait for her, but she was even more hurt that I had betrayed my brother's trust. I told her not to worry Adora had not conceived a child.

The next spring I returned to find Adora and found out something terrible had happened to her. It seemed that all the months we spent together she hid the fact that she was carrying my child from me. After I left monsters and terrible beasts began attacking her more than they ever had, she had in her desperation to protect the child moved in with her father and Artemis who still came by from time to time.

Adora stayed with her father and gave birth in his house on December 13th, a Friday if anything could be more ironic. Sadly, even with the help of her mother, Adora weakened after the birth, soon after she took sick and died within three days.

When I asked Artemis to see my son she looked me straight in the eye and said "Hades you have no son, you have a daughter whom Adora named Aliya." I smiled at the name when I first heard it, a strong name for a strong child. The man Kael, brought out Aliya to me and it was then that I truly understood.

Why had Adora taken ill after the birth? It was because Aliya was almost a pure god, only an eighth mortal, it would have killed anyone with mortal blood.

I vowed from then on to protect Aliya, my only daughter who I knew could do great things. Daughter of Hades and of Artemis, what a better title?" Hades stopped to look at Aliya, now that they were together you could see how much she looked like Hades, but also subtle differences that must be her mother.

"Lord Hades, why care for this one child so much?" Grover asked. Hades smiled at the Satyr, which was not a frightening sight as one would imagine.

"Aliya is the only girl child I've had out of all my children. She's also an heir to Artemis, the last remaining bit of her on Earth. For your question earlier, I understand that it is part of Artemis's mystery to only bear girl children, it must have even dominated my own make-up to only produce male children." Aliya stood up and ruffled Percy's hair.

"So you see Percy when I say you half-bloods, I mean it in a good way, my grandfather was one but since I am not one myself I can not be included in the statement." Percy stood and was about to leave when Annebeth grabbed his arm.

"Look Percy we all know that you're used to being the best, you shouldn't act like this towards Aliya, just because she has more godly blood in her." Percy shook her off, a look of anger on her face.

"It's not because she's almost godly, its because her father loves her…protects her, treats her like she was wanted. None of our parents have done that, none of them will love us unconditionally, they don't even care unless we accomplish something great.

I may be jealous of her but not because she's more godly its because she has a loving father who is a god, something none of us have." With that he walked out of the room leaving his distant cousin, Annebeth, Grover and the others behind.

He heard footsteps behind him as he neared his cabin. He turned around to see Aliya. She was dressed differently, she wore a dress of silver silk, with a lavender sash. She wore no shoes and her hair was now pulled into braids. He had to admit that she was lovely in the moonlight.

"Percy please let me explain…" He sighed and let her come into his cabin with him. She took the bed opposite him and hugged her knees close to her body.

"I'm sorry I stormed out cousin, it was rude of me. It also dishonours your father, I apologize." Aliya smiled weakly.

"So formal Percy? We're both young still, no need to act so. Look, you feel jealous because you're father will not openly take you into his arms? I'm jealous because even though I may come to camp Half-Blood, for safety like the rest of you, I'm still set apart."

"How so?"

"My senses are like a god's. I don't need the ADHD or ADD like the rest of you, I'm not even dyslexic. In every way except for one I am a god." She covered her face and Percy knew she was crying.

"What way is that?"

"I'm not immortal. I just age slower than everyone else, Daddy says that once I reach sixteen mortal years I'll most likely age one year every one hundred. Do you know what that means?"

"No," Percy answered dumbstruck.

"It means that all of you will be dead by the time I look seventeen." She flung herself on the bed and wept.

"That isn't all that's wrong is it?" Aliya shook her head no and Percy stood up to comfort her. He rubbed her back. "What else is wrong?" Aliya looked at him.

Aliya stood up and smiled weakly at Percy and then hugged him close to her. He could smell her now, she smelled like lavender, so fresh. Her aura soothed him, and made him forget about his troubles and her troubles.

"If only you could understand Percy, if only you knew how hard it is to be like me and not like you." She walked out of the cabin and the air hit her like a ton of bricks. She managed to make it to the forest before the overwhelming smell of sulphur caused her to collapse.

In a few moments she opened her eyes, a man dressed in skin tight black leather pants and a red shirt stood before her. His eyes were dark brown and he had black hair, the look he gave her was not kind.

"Hello Ares." Aliya tried to stand and but the air weighted her back down.

"Aliya, were you trying to irritate me? Hiding from me? Coming to Camp Half-Blood where my own children are, and calling your father? It makes me think that you don't like our agreement, that you didn't want me to find you." He used his true voice, causing her ears to ring. She screamed in pain when he spoke as it caused her to feel as if every fiber of her being was being torn apart.

"I never agreed to anything Ares!" Ares quickly smacked her across the face. He glared at her and then got close to her ear.

"True, you never signed our little contract, but I have Zeus's permission. He has even given me orders to take you away from this camp and your father. You will never see your father again once we are wed."

"Ares, you know as well as I that Hera will not allow my marriage to you until my seventeenth birthday, and if I find my soul mate by then you lose me." Ares chuckled evilly.

"You know as well as I do that as soon as you leave this camp my monsters will hunt you down. If I have to I will hold you hostage until your birthday. You will be mine Aliya, and then not even Zeus will be able to stand against me."

He then vanished as if he was never there, in his wake he left a bouquet of hauntingly beautiful roses. Aliya glanced at the roses and then quickly engulfed them in flame. Shuddering at her loss of self control she ran back to the camp.

Percy glanced at his watch when he saw Aliya run back to her cabin. It was midsummer and the only dance Camp Half Blood had was in only a few days, as such Hades had decided to stay at the camp until then. It was three in the morning, all the other campers were asleep in their beds, it was assumed that Aliya was with Percy.

Percy made his way across the camp. He noticed that the moon shone brighter now that Aliya was here. He knocked on her door. Percy heard a rustling and then the door opened slowly.

"Who is it?" Asked Aliya, her voice was raspy as if she'd been screaming.

"Aliya, it's Percy…" The door shut and then opened again. Aliya let Percy come in and he finally got a really good look at the cabin.

The walls were a deep blue, so deep that they were almost purple. They seemed to soothe you the moment you walked in. In the far corner was a fireplace, the wood burned with a blue light and radiated a lot of heat.

There were flowers everywhere, it seemed that Persephone had a hand in making the cabin. All the flowers were exotic and looked as though they could only survive in the heat.

Aliya lay on a bed of crimson. She looked almost like a vampire with her pale skin and black hair. She was curled into the fetal position, and her shoulders shook. Percy felt a wavy of nausea roll off over her and unto himself. He fought back the urge to blow his dinner on the black carpet.

"Aliya what's wrong?" He asked coming up behind her. At his touch she flinched away, as though it had burned her.

"Please, Percy, I can't stand your touch at this moment." Aliya rolled over and Percy saw that the exposed skin was covered with dark fresh bruises.

Percy covered his mouth so he didn't cry out in shock. A tear rolled down Aliya's face causing her to look less like a powerful demi-goddess and more like a helpless mortal woman.

"What happened to you?" Aliya shook her head and then winced, as if even the slightest movement caused her pain.

"If I tell you, you might die…he'll kill you."

"Who?" She sighed and then took a deep breath.

"You probably know that a god's touch when they want it to be is as soft as mortals, but when they're exerting force it gets rough especially when they're angry." Percy looked at her confused.

"But I thought Hades…"

"Not Hades, Daddy would never harm me. Ares, it was Ares." She hid her eyes behind her hair, ashamed.

"What would Ares want with you?"

"When I came of age at fifteen I loved being around the god's. Father reveled me to only a select few, Ares being one of them. At first he was nice to me and I was swept into a romantic affair. He treated me like I was a princess.

It was when he wanted to take things farther that I put my foot down. We were in New York at Central Park, he told me that he wanted to be my first and take me as a bride.

I refused and ran away. After that his minions came after me I wasn't safe anywhere. Then when I turned sixteen and had my first mortal boyfriend he became enraged, killed the boy and I fled here." Percy stared at her stunned.

"So the god of war wanted to get jiggy with you?" Aliya frowned.

"It was more than that. You see, he thinks that if I bare a child of any god, that child will be able to overthrow Zeus. Zeus thinks that we should be together, just because he wants Ares to settle down.

So Zeus said that unless I found my soul mate, my true love, before my seventeenth birthday I must marry Ares. Ares wanted me then but Hera stepped in and said she would agree to no marriage where the girl was not seventeen." Percy shook his head.

"Let me get this straight, Ares wants to marry you to over throw Zeus, Zeus doesn't know this so he wants Ares to marry you because he thinks it will settle Ares down. Hera will marry you against your will but not until you're seventeen and you won't marry Ares because he isn't your true love."

"That's me in a nutshell."


	2. Chapter 2

Percy looked at Aliya. He shook his head and then started to laugh. His entire body shook and he gasped with the force of his laughter.

"What are you laughing about?!" Aliya yelled at him, he stopped laughing and then sat on the bed opposite hers.

"I'm laughing because even though you may be smart, you're incredibly stupid." Aliya threw at him a look of pure anger, and he smirked.

"What are you talking about?" Aliya asked him, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Percy shook his head and put his hand to his chin in thought, absentmindedly he began to stroke the hair that had begun to grow there.

"Well, what if you found someone, who agreed to pretend to be your soul mate. Then with a little help from Aphrodite you could convince the other gods. You'd tell your dad about Ares, but seeing as you've found your "true love" all that would happen would be that Hades would kick Ares' ass, pardon my language. You and the guy could then pretend to be betrothed. It's so simple!"

Aliya rolled it over for a second and then her face brightened. Her eyes filled with tears and she began to laugh and cry all for the joy of it.

"Oh Percy, this is wonderful!" She leaped up and hugged him, he hugged her back tightly, again noticing her wonderful smell. It was when she began to moan that he released her. The tears in her eyes now were tears of pain.

"Oh, Aliya I'm so sorry…" She shook her head, but continued to cry, it was then that Percy knew how extensive her bruises must be.

"Aliya, I'm going to run you a bath. While I'm doing that I want you to strip down to your undergarments." She made a move to protest but he quickly silenced her. "I learned this summer how to heal other's with water, that's what I'm going to do with you."

"Thank you Percy, I didn't think you were going to hurt me though, I just don't want you to see the bruises." Percy went into her bathroom.

"But, Aliya I need to see them to heal them, I'm sorry if you're embarrassed that Ares did this to you, or perhaps you're afraid I'll think you're weak. I know you aren't but this is for the best I promise."

His voice was tender and soft. He calmed her inner shakings and when he shut the door to the bathroom to give her privacy she knew that he was good.

sSs

Aphrodite stared at the two youngsters in her scrying glass. She had been watching them since Ares came back in a horrible temper. Actually she was watching the girl. Though she was the original airhead Aphrodite was not dumb, she knew that Ares wanted the girl.

She hadn't known about the boy friend, the fact that he was ready to wed her the year before or that he had the worst temper with her, but she did know that she would help Aliya.

"Let's see know, who could I hook young Aliya up with? Mr D.? No, she'd drive him nuts, to much of a daddy's girl. Apollo? No she's far to dark for him…Hermes? No, too much of a goody too-shoes… Think Aphrodite, think. Maybe a half-god? One of Hermes', or Athena's?"

Aphrodite paced around her chamber, her heels clicking and clacking faster and faster as she thought. Then it hit her, who would be perfect for the daughter of Hades? Who would help to heal the rifts between the gods, who was so kind that his own children would be just as kind or even more so.

"Yes, he's perfect. Oh I am so smart!" Aphrodite jumped up and down in a giddy school girl fashion. Her red hair bobbed with her, and her blue eyes sparkled with glee.

She ran to her closet and pulled out an amulet. It was called the Amulet Amore. It was created for the simple purpose of finding one's soul mate, this amulet was how she found Hephaestus and she knew that it would bring together Aliya and her mate.

"So now all I need to do is get myself ready for tomorrow. With only three days until the dance, I'll need Aliya to find the guy in time to announce it at the dance and then the fun will truly begin."

Aphrodite was now wide awake and ready to present Amulet Amore to Aliya the very next day.

sSs

The maidens sat in a valley secluded in the Rocky Mountains and untouched by mortal men. A fire was built high in the middle of it, and the maiden's sat in a circle around it.

This was a secret meeting; it had to be, their leader Artemis was no longer welcome among them. The girl who called the meeting stood and blew a ram's horn calling silence to the group.

Her name was Ariane, she stood at six foot three inches. She had been with Artemis since her childhood and she was the only maiden here who was part of the original group. Ariane's olive skin glowed in the light of the fire and her black hair shown. She was the most respected maiden now that Artemis was gone and she liked it that way.

"My sisters!" Cheers rang out from around the circle, Ariane's voice carried all heard her, all wanted to hear her.

"For centuries I have watched as our Lady let us mortal women join her in her quest for our sacred virginity. She allowed us only after one of her faithful nymph warriors was seduced by our Lord Zeus." Boo's were hollered from the girl's as well some well placed hissing.

"I was among the first of these mortal women allowed to hunt with our Lady, and she gave us the gift that as long as we were with her we would never die, we could be her companions for ever!

She promised a world safe from the hands of men, promised that none of us would ever be allowed with her unless we had not given away our sacred selves to that of a man's unholy snake! SHE PROMISED THAT SHE WOULD REMAIN A VIRGIN HUNTRESS FOR ETERNITY!

But our Lady has broken that promise. For sixteen years she has hidden her lover and her child from us. For sixteen years we have followed a none sacred leader. For sixteen years we have been lied to!" Yells, of agreement were raised from the crowd, even those who had not been a part of them for sixteen years agreed, they believed in the cause after all.

"I have watched as my past sister's have fallen from our vows, they left our group to become wives. They fell from the light but I never dreamed that our Lady would fall. Now that she has we must do to her what she did to that first seduced nymph.

She would want us to destroy her reason for falling. Once he has been destroyed we will burn her and send her to Hades where she will live in forever exile of us. Then we will take her daughter and she will be our new Lady, Lady Aliya, the virgin daughter of our past Lady; and our new leader."

The cheers shattered the silence that captivated the girl's. They agreed whole-heartedly, this is what their Lady would want. Now it was time for them to hunt the most dangerous predator of all, Lady Artemis of the Hunt.

sSs

"Aliya, the bath is ready. Come in when you are ready." Percy's throat was dry. His would be the first major injury that he would heal, he didn't know if he could do it. It had nothing to do with the fact that Aliya would be almost naked…well it had almost nothing to do with that.

In the back of his mind it told him that if he thought thoughts like that it would come to no good. His father was her father's brother, they were cousins, but at the same time siblings married in the world of gods and goddesses why not cousins.

'Stop that!' He demanded of his brain as the door began to open. Aliya's face peeked through, he could see that she was even paler than before, the area of her that wasn't covered with her towel were more bruised than her face.

As she came in she quickly shut the door behind her and swallowed quickly. Aliya glanced at her feet and then stuck her head up defiantly, she would not let eyes that she had just met embarrass her.

Slowly she unwrapped her towel and let it drop to the floor. She stepped away from it, and her skin was instantly covered in goose pimples.

Percy, against the little voice in his heads will, drank in her with his eyes. Every inch of skin from her head to her toes was covered with the deep purple bruises. He didn't happen to notice how her breasts were full and large. Percy tried not to notice how the red bra she wore clung to her breasts accenting the swell of it, all the rises and falls.

He tried notice that her abs were defined and hard. Percy wanted to ignore the fact that, had she not been covered in bruises, Aliya would have looked like she was craved from the whitest marble.

Percy swallowed when she stepped into the tub and her black thong came into full view… When she was submerged in the water he saw her relax, her arms uncrossed from her chest and laid floating at her sides.

"Okay, Aliya the way Poseidon taught me to do this was that I have to lightly brush the affected area with my palms, the more grievous the wound the harder I push and the longer my hand has to stay…If that alright with you?" Aliya glanced at him her eyes deep amethyst, she smiled.

"Why Percy, it isn't as if I mind being healed, do everything it takes to get me healthy again okay? I don't mind, truly." Percy nodded, he was glad the bruises were beginning to gross him out, he felt responsible for them.

"Okay I'm going to start now." He took off his long sleeved shirt leaving his chest exposed. Aliya noticed that his chest was lightly dusted with black curls, she smiled a sweet smile at him as he dipped his hands into the water.

He started with her feet, as they were fully submerged. His palms pressed down and he willed the water _heal_. The water did as he commanded, it was willing to help him and Aliya. He made quick work of her legs until he reached where he didn't have to reach but an inch in the water to touch her.

This spot happened to fall at her upper thighs. 'Great,' he thought 'Just great, this will take longer than before, I hope she realizes this.' He pressed down his palm and was surprised when a flood of warmth pushed back at his hand. He looked at Aliya.

"I thought you might need my help, and though I can't heal myself I can help other's heal…" He nodded. He continued up to the bottom of her breasts. Percy looked at Aliya, the color was returning to her cheeks slowly, and it seemed that she had fallen asleep.

Slowly a smile crept on Percy's lips as he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. He very gently laid his hand on the very top of Aliya's breast. He moved the water up to cover it and then began to will it's healing.

Aliya's breath hitched, and then he realized, her injuries were deeper here. Pressing down harder he searched inside himself for the strength to heal her bruised lungs.

Then Percy was falling into a dark well. He found himself in a place completely devoid of light. Searching out he discovered a door with a small round handle. Opening the door slowly he was shocked by the light of the next place.

"Hello Percy…" A voice said, the words were familiar, he looked over and saw a young Aliya. She appeared to be about eight, her black hair was long and curly, here eyes were large and a deep blue. The young Aliya ran to him and hugged him.

"Where am I?" Percy asked looking at the young Aliya. She looked at him with her round eyes and grinned, she was missing her front teeth.

"You're on the Inside, Percy. This is our nerve system, our main core."

"In English…"

"Everyone has different parts of them that make them who they are on the Outside, but on the Inside we are all separate."

"So, you are one of her emotions?" Young Aliya shook her head.

"No I'm sort of like a state of being." Hearing such a young girl say that was sort of funny like a child professor.

"Oh really, what state of being are you? Silliness, Happiness oh I've got it Angst!" Percy laughed a hollow laugh. Young Aliya stuck her tongue out at him.

"Seriously! Silliness' room is three from here and she walks around with a rubber chicken. Happiness is so cheery she's boring you'd hate her and Angst is on the other side of me, she's good company but a little bit of a drama queen.

No, no I'm none of those lasting beings; I happen to be one of the most often lost states. In fact once I'm lost I can't be regained, funny huh?" Her eyes began to tear up and young Aliya sat on the floor.

"So you don't want her to lose you?"

"No! I want her to lose me, only once I'm lost can I become something else, something so pure, so lovely, so huge that I'll need a bigger room!"

"So what will you become?"

"I become Everlasting Love. True normally I'd become like Infatuation, only consumed with Lust and control, I would have been ugly and horrid. but seeing as we are determined to have a soul mate I am special I get to transform into Everlasting Love."

"What are you now?" Percy was shocked at the dreamy expression on the girl's face. When he said that her expression changed and it made him feel almost like he was the child.

"Duh Percy, I'm Innocence. Sure some call me Virginity, like stupid Jealousy, or Anger, usually it's Envy that starts it off. But I don't care I am our Innocence, and soon to be lasting love…unless Darkness wins…"

"Darkness?"

"You just met her, Darkness is the part of us that still loves Ares. Darkness tries to consume us and she almost had until we met you." Percy sat down with the little girl.

"Innocence, what did I have to do with it?" She giggled and sat in his lap.

"We like you. Even our combined self likes you. So now Darkness is annoyed, she wants us to be Ares' mate and to bring down Olympus. I have another name for Darkness, it is Evil."

"So I guess it's true everyone has some evil in them."

"Yes, but sometimes Darkness is larger than others. We, have a large Darkness, you could say that our combined form craved it when we were younger, and now we can't get rid of it, only slow it down. It is our hopes on the Inside that I can beat out Darkness so that she is the child."

"Were you once an adult?" Innocence nodded.

"Oh yes, I was the most beautiful of us all, even Inner Beauty and True Beauty could not compare to me. I was strong too, not a child.

It was when we met Ares that I began to grow weaker. He touched and kissed us in places that made us shudder. He awakened Lust from her sleep. He made colors appear before us that none had ever seen.

I used to be a toddler when he was around, I would have been changed too but our form thought it wrong. She knew that he wasn't meant; something here on the Inside told us that.

After that I grew steadily stronger, than when we met you we awakened a stronger Hope than ever before. You are kind and considerate." Innocence jerked her head suddenly, and her eyes changed to a feral gold.

"You must leave Percy Jackson. Darkness knows you are here, she will try to kill you, and our self's heart rate has increased, something is coming on the Outside and we don't like it!" She pushed him towards a pit that lay in the far corner of her room.

"But what about…"

"No Percy Jackson this is not the time for more questions, you must go or our life and yours will be in the gravest danger."

"But…"

"Good-bye Percy, we'll see each other again…!" Innocence pushed him into the pit and as he fell back to the Outside he watched her as her body became that of a pre-teen.

Falling back into his mind Percy felt himself slip into the tub, awaking Aliya from her dreamless sleep.

"Percy what are you?..." Aliya began to ask, when the door to the bathroom creaked and began to open.

"Percy hide!" Aliya pushed Percy farther into the bathroom. Soaking wet he crouched on the floor near her vanity.

"Aliya! Are you in here daughter? I though I heard someone in there with you, are you alright?" The voice of Hades filled the room. Aliya grabbed a dark blue robe and put it on quickly, she just tied the sash when Hades entered the room.

"Daddy?! What are you doing here?" Aliya had her hands behind her back and rung her fingers nervously. Hades walked up to her and kissed her forehead, thankfully Percy had healed the bruises there while he had been speaking with Innocence.

"I was worried about you precious." He took a seat on the over stuffed chair that was in the bathroom. Aliya came and sat in his lap.

Percy looked on the sight and saw that Aliya acted with Hades the way that he acted with his mother, and Hades responded in kind. Aliya laid her head affectionately on Hades' shoulder and he ran his fingers slowly through her wet hair.

"Daddy you know you don't have to worry about me, I'm a big girl." Hades patted her cheek and looked at her, his eyes distant and sad.

"I know darling, its just for all these years no monsters have attacked you and now all of a sudden you seem to be there only target. I love you so much Aliya…" Aliya put her head under her fathers chin.

"I love you to daddy…" Hades lifted her chin and looked into his daughters eyes. In them he saw her mother, so strong willed and confident. He also saw a sadness that she had always hidden from him, a sadness he knew came from her lack of a mother.

What worried Hades the most though was that he saw a secret, something Aliya was hiding from him, he knew because this was the same look her mother had always given him.

"Aliya," He pulled her closer to him "You don't realize how much you look like your mother…"

"Oh daddy, I know that I look more like you…" Hades chuckled deeply in his throat.

" Sometimes that happens to be true, mostly when you are lying, or stealing, when you're about to start a fight, are in a fight or finish one and yes your features are more harsh, but if you spent more time in the sun you would get her skin tone rather than looking like a corpse.

You only look like me when you do these things, but your laugh, your smile…when you sleep, when you are truly happy and when you are deeply sad you are your mother…"

Percy was taken aback when he saw a lone tear find its way down Hades cheek, leaving a lone trail in its wake.

"I lost her because I was to foolish to see that she was lying to me. I can't lose you, Aliya please tell me what has been going on. I can't leave only to come back and find you dead…I can't handle to see her die again in you…I'm not strong enough."

Aliya felt her own tears slip down her face. She knew, had always known, that her father truly loved her mother, but never before had she seen him cry for her, never seen him so full of emotion for her.

The breath hitched in her chest, she wanted to tell him everything. Aliya only wanted to spill her soul, to tell this man, her own father everything that she had gone through.

Only she couldn't, she couldn't do it to him he already seemed so old and tired. Aliya could tell that it would destroy him that he couldn't save her, or even help her.

"Daddy, you know that I have always loved you, and its true that I have not told you everything I should have, but now it's to late for it and I have to do this on my own.

I will always be your daughter, but I'm past your help now…" Hades hung his head and sobbed against his daughter's chest. Aliya held him there, she wanted to hold on to him forever.

"Sleep…sleep daddy…" Aliya whispered into his ear. She felt him slowly relax into her arms as her power took its toll on her fathers spent mind and body.

"Percy…" Percy came from his hiding place. Aliya was holding her sleeping father as though she were his guardian angel. "Help me get him into bed…" Percy nodded and took the Lord of the Underworlds feet.

Together they placed him into the bed opposite of Aliya's. Then Percy sat and watched as another side of Aliya showed. Yes she was protecting her father, but she was also mothering him.

She slid his black shirt from his body and folded it, laying it on the floor near the bed. Percy saw that his body was perfectly chiseled, the only imperfection was a scar that ran from his upper left shoulder to his navel.

He didn't notice when Aliya flung Hades pants at him. Looking up at her a startled expression on her face, Percy found that Aliya was glowing. She smiled at him and the lights caused it to look like she was shining.

"What are you smiling about?" Percy said, nonchalantly. Aliya put her hand to her mouth and pointed down.

"…Spongebob…" Was the only word he could make out. Then Percy understood. When Aliya had taken off Hades' pants she discovered a pair of Spongebob Boxers. Aliya stifled a laugh and covered Hades with a blanket. She then threw another log on the fire and motioned for Percy to come outside with her.

Once they were outside Aliya grabbed Percy's hands and spun him around. Laughing themselves to tears they soon fell onto the grass.

Aliya still clutching her stomach rolled next to Percy her eyes shining brightly.

"Percy I haven't been happy like this in a long time not since I was eight years old…" Percy swallowed quickly and smiled.

"Really why?" Aliya smiled and rolled back onto her back. She looked up at the stars.

"I was happy as a child, even though I didn't have a mother I didn't need one. Artemis visited us all the time, everything I needed she and Grandfather provided. Oh I knew she wasn't my mother, after all Grandfather had Mother's pictures everywhere, and every visit Daddy and I visited the spot where she was buried.

I never missed her though. If I did I went to her grave, that was my true home. I don't know how many times Grandfather came out to get me in the middle of the night.

The forest was my mother, I knew every inch of it, I never got lost and was never scared. I knew that my mother's spirit was still there and that she was protecting me. Grandfather used to call me a true daughter of Artemis until one day daddy had a surprise for me…"

Percy watched that while she talked wildflowers grew around Aliya, some were colored silver and purple, they twined into her hair. He realized that this must be what she meant, in nature she was at home because it welcomed her like it welcomed no other.

"What was the surprise?" Aliya looked at him and smirked.

"Look at me, I've only just met you and already you know so much about me…"

"Well, perhaps its because here it doesn't matter if we've just met, maybe its because we share a common need, the need to be accepted and loved, that no one here could be a stranger to you." Aliya nodded and then looked back to the sky.

"He took me down with him to the Underworld, he held me in his arms the entire time I was only eight or so, and I'd just lost me two front teeth. Anyway we go down and there's Cerberus and he's standing over this huge box.

We go foreword and I hear a bunch of whimpers. Inside the box are a litter of puppies all smaller than my palm. Some have three head, some four and I'm so excited.

'Aliya, I was very young when I got Cerberus, now I want you to have your own companion.' Here I was in my father's arms and I was getting a puppy. So I look them all over, there's about fifteen in total. Then I see the perfect dog.

She's black with two heads, the only one in the litter. The right head has a white heart on it and the left head has a white diamond on the chest.

I named her Amoretto. Then carrying both of us Daddy took us both further into the Under world. We reached the fields and he sets me down. 'Stay here, I have another surprise…' So I stand and wait and wait, hugging Amoretto to my chest.

When he comes back he's leading a woman behind him. Then I know why we took this trip, it wasn't about the dog, it was because of this woman.

I demand to know who she is and he gives a sheepish grin. 'This is your mother, I've finally found her for you.'" Aliya quickly takes a breath and when the sky goes cloudy Percy knows that this memory saddens her. Aliya goes on, speaking softly.

"I approach her and she just looks at me. She can't speak I realize so I take her hand when I touch I'm filled with this power, something I'd never felt before. She nods at me and pulls a chain off of her neck putting it on mine I feel even more power, I feel as though I may burst from all of this energy filling me.

'Speak! I command you!' I yell at her and she clutches her throat. 'What's going on tell me!' She takes my hand again and I feel more of the energy, my eyes are going white now, and now its painful to hold it all in.

I'm screaming and screaming and I just want it to stop and then I hear her voice in my head 'This is your birthright, you need this. I will always protect you Aliya, but you have to hold this power, keep it inside you until you can control it.'

I scream longer, and louder until I realize that each time she touches me she gets more transparent. Then I'm trying to run away because I want so much for her to stay here, so that when I need her I can come and see her.

'STOP! STOP!' I'm screaming I want her to stay….NOOOO! MOMMY! NOOO! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Aliya screams. Percy puts his hand over her mouth and then hugs her to himself.

"Hush, Aliya…it's alright I'm here for you, you're safe."

"I couldn't make her stay, she wanted me to have her gifts, I-I c-couldn't make her come b-back…P-percy…" Percy rocks her back and forth while she sobs into his shoulder.

"Everything is alright, now I think we should go back to our cabins and sleep, you've had a long day." Percy looks around making sure that no one has heard her. Aliya yawns.

"No stay out here with me, until I fall asleep, please…" Percy, unable to do anything else lays down beside Aliya. He puts his arm behind her head and she rolls into his body molding her body to his side. He wraps his arms around her and closes his eyes.

"I'll leave once you fall asleep…"

"Thank you Percy Jackson…" Aliya whispers closing her eyes and relaxes in the smell of the sea.

Percy breathed deeply Aliya's smell, and then without realizing it nuzzled into her hair. Sighing deeply he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

sSs

Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropus sat around there all seeing crystal. Around them in the room were hundreds of thousands of threads, each one playing a different life. Some were old and long and looked about ready to break others were new and some short. Many were frail, but even more than that were strong, some were pure white, others black as coal but many more so had shades of gray.

Atropus almost without thought grabbed one of the older frailer threads and snipped it with her small silver scissors.

"Alex Green, 95 leaves a widow and many grandchildren." She said her eyes still fixed upon the globe. Lachesis nodded and pulled out a small tape measure.

"The widow has another two years of living and will find happiness again." Clotho spun out a new thread and hung it to the ceiling.

"Tony Patterson, a new life begun after one has ended."

Clotho, Lachesis and Atropus, the Three Fates all sat unmoving riveted by the two young demi-gods.

"Amazing…" Clotho said "I spin so many lives and yet I've never looked so closely at one than I do now."

"Incredible…" Lachesis said touching the globe with her finger "I measure so many lives but I never realized how much you can fit into one thread."

"Spectacular…" Atropus added "I cut so many threads but I never realized how much trouble can be in one thread…one life. I feel bad for her…Clotho, Lachesis can we help her out at all?"

Clotho stood. She looked around twenty-one, her red hair fell below her waist and was braided loosely so that tiny pieces often escaped it. Clotho had a kind face and a sympathetic one, but she was also wise. Her eyes were green and showed just how old she truly was. As the oldest sister she had once done all three jobs by herself and was the most experienced with lives.

At this moment she wore an I Love Ashton shirt and a pair of Daisy Duke shorts. She paced around the room biting her manicured nails.

"I'm not sure we'd be allowed to Atropus, you remember the last time we meddled into the threads…" Lachesis stood and nodded.

She was slightly shorter than Clotho. Her brunette hair was in a ponytail at the top of her head. She wore a sports bra and running shorts. Appearing to be about eighteen her bright blue eyes showed that she was much, much older than that.

"Yes Atropus, the last time we meddled the brothers decided to not reproduce anymore! We caused that war and all those threads to be cut!"

Atropus was the youngest of the three, she was also much shorter. At fifteen she still wore her blonde hair in pigtails, with a cute but pink summer dress on. Her hazel eyes sparkled with emotion.

"We didn't cause the war, we tried to make the boys life better, we tried to make him happy!"

"And what will we do for this girl? Try to destroy our oldest mistake?" Clotho said running to a closet. Inside it were threads of pure gold and silver. They were the threads of the Higher Gods and the Lower Gods.

"Your mistake sister, we were not born yet!" Lachesis spit back at Clotho. Clotho glared at her sister.

"What are we to do but that? And though they may be my mistake we must all take credit for it, we are a trio afterall!" Clotho yelled, causing many of the threads to move from her breath.

"All we have to do is continue watching, I know that we'll be able to help her I just haven't been able to see when yet." Atropus said defiantly, watching Aliya and Percy sleep.

"You've been future gazing with out us!?!" Lachesis and Clotho yelled. Atropus nodded.

"You wouldn't have wanted to, fearing we'd learn to much, but from what I saw so many threads will tangle around hers that we will eventually have no choice but to help her."

"I hope you are right Atropus…" Clotho sulked.

"Yes I would hate it if you wasted all that time on nothing." Lachesis said laying on her bed and grabbing the new Teen Vouge.

"If I have seen true than this will be the biggest clash between the gods since the Titans were defeated…" Atropus said and her sisters were silent. Atropus saw that she had put fear into her sister's eyes.

"What is the event that starts it? Perhaps if we stop that…?" Lachesis said running towards the globe causing it to go blank.

"Yes Atropus, perhaps if we can stop that?..." Clotho said looking to her sister, but Atropus only shook her head.

"I'm afraid sisters that it is four events that start the chain reaction and three of the four have already happened…and stopping the fourth may perhaps make it worse, rather than better." Atropus cast her hand over the globe and she noticed that it was now almost morning on earth, they'd have to keep constant surveillance now that they ran on different times than Earth.

"What were the events, perhaps if we gaze into the past we would better understand?" Clotho sounded hopeful so Atropus agreed.

"The first event was Aliya was revealed to certain gods and goddesses, causing her to meet Ares who falls in lust with her, if this is revealed it will cause Hades to rage war with Ares.

The second event was Artemis being revealed as Aliya's Grandmother, causing her huntresses to wish for Aliya's Grandfathers blood to be spilt.

The third event is Aliya meets Percy Jackson and forms a bond with him, which enrages Ares, and what is worse is that they're bond can not be separated even when the wars come.

The final event is Aphrodite giving Aliya the Amulet Amore, causing Aliya to find her soul mate thus enraging Hades to war."

Clotho sat on her bed, she buried her face in her hands and began to weep. Lachesis join her and sobbing filled the room. Atropus tried to comfort her sisters.

"The last time we meddled we made things worse, perhaps this time it would be for the better?" Atropus said in a small voice.

Clotho, looked up and nodded, Lachesis just stopped her weeping for a meek 'settled then'. Atropus looking very pleased with herself placed her silver scissors on the table next to her bed, she then laid down.

"We will do good this time we must…" she whispered as sleep over took her.


	3. Chapter 3

Aliya woke to the sounds of breathing in her ear. Rolling over she found her self face to face with Percy Jackson. Her heart thumping madly she looked around, it was barely morning none of the other campers were awake and for that she was thankful.

Slipping away from Percy's strong arms Aliya clutched the bathrobe tighter to her body. It seemed that the minute she left his side all of her heat left too. Sighing she decided that he had to be woken up, what would the other campers think if they found him sleeping on the ground?

What was even worse was that sea-green and dark purple flowers had grown to form around his body, and around the shape of her body also. Quickly she knelt beside Percy and moved his hair away from his ear.

"Percy Jackson wake up or I swear I will set Amoretto on you!" She whispered hurriedly in his ear. Percy jerked awake and would have smacked her in the face if she didn't have such quick reflexes.

"W-what?" Aliya rolled her eyes and pulled him off the ground.

"I'm going to leave after you fall asleep aye?" She said playfully ruffling his hair. Then when she was sure that he could stand by himself she looked at the flowers.

"Shoo…" She said in a motherly tone, one used when children pried into their mothers business. The flowers quickly shriveled back into the ground leaving no trace that they were ever there.

"Well I guess I fell asleep too…" Percy gave Aliya a sheepish grin was about to apologize when she pulled him quickly into her cabin. The door to the bathroom was closed and you could faintly hear Hades singing 'Sexy Back.'

"Can you imagine what would have happened if the other would have seen us?" Aliya said in a forceful whisper. Percy shrugged.

"No at this moment I'm trying to figure out if Justin Timerlake is you're older brother or not." Percy said cracking a smile, Aliya sighed and let a small giggle escape her lips.

"Anyway Percy I'll see you at breakfast, you need to get back to you're cabin and change. We can even sit together, seeing as neither of us has anyone else in their cabin?" Aliya sounded hopeful and Percy nodded.

Aliya smiled a true smile and Percy saw that Hades was right, Aliya did not look like him when she smiled. Laughing Aliya pushed him out of the door with a later.

Percy stumbled but then regained his balance, he ended up jogging to his cabin to change. When he got there he was surprised to see his father sitting on his bed.

His father hadn't changed since the last time Percy had seen him, two years before on his sixteenth birthday, except now he wore red wake bordering shorts with a blue and green tourist's shirt. Percy caught his breath and then bowed before his father.

"Poseidon, honored father, to what do I owe this visit?" Percy bit back a bitter remark that was on the tip of his tongue. His father laughed a deep hearty laugh and stood, he clapped Percy heartily on the back.

"Percy, my son why so formal now is a happy time. You have made it into your eighteenth year no worse for wear, and in a days time there is to be a dance are you not pleased to see me?" Percy looked at his father, now he was only slightly shorter and they were built the same.

"I haven't seen you in two years, I get no word, nothing and you expect me to welcome you as if you were my mother? You thought wrong, I had hoped that you would only greet me momentarily at the dance and be on your way." Percy let his head drop, as he dropped to one knee.

The sea god looked down at his son and realized that Percy was correct, he had never paid him anymore mind than any of his other children, but he was the only one now and he tossed him aside.

"You're right son, you have the right to angry with me." Percy sighed a sigh of relief.

"All I wanted when I was younger was a father, but I had to grow up without one…"

"I should have been there for you, but I assumed that it would be seen as a weakness on my part." Percy sat next to him on the bed.

"I've met the most wonderful girl, and…"Poseidon looked at Percy and smiled.

"Oh a girl aye? Whose daughter? Mr. D's? Ares's, perhaps Apollo? Don't leave me in the dark I was good with women in my day you know." Percy smiled; this was the first real conversation he had had with his father, ever.

"She's just a good friend father. Her name is Aliya, and she just arrived."

"Peace son. I'd like to meet this girl, please take me to her cabin."

"But we're going to eat breakfast together…"

"This will not wait." Percy nodded.

"I have to change first." Poseidon nodded.

"Do it quickly." As soon as Percy changed into a camp Half-Blood t-shirt and a pair of kaki pants throwing a hat on his unruly hair they left heading quickly towards Hades cabin though this was unknown to Poseidon.

sSs

As soon as Percy left Aliya slumped against the door, she smiled and then ran to her dresser.

Looking threw her clothes she found the perfect outfit. Slipping out of her now dry undergarments from the day before she slipped on a pink bra and matching underwear.

Over her pink underwear she put a blue jeans miniskirt. In black stones it bore her fathers symbol on it. For a shirt she put on a tank top that was white and put a small pink half sweater over it.

Aliya had just finished putting pink roses in her hair when Hades came out of the bathroom. Seeing Aliya he clutched the towel tighter around his lower body and smiled sheepishly.

"You slept well?" Aliya asked kissing his cheek and running into the bathroom. Hades took another towel and began to dry his hair.

"Oh yes, but I didn't see you when I woke this morning, where were you?" Aliya smiled at him before closing the door.

"I slept outside last night, the smell of rain soothes me you know that." When she came out of the bathroom she had only applied a hint of blush to her cheeks and sparkle to her eyes.

Hades was wearing a pair of black skate boarding shorts. His chest still glistened with water and he was starting to wipe them up when music started to play.

A pink mist filled the room and suddenly a beautiful brunette came into view. Aliya saw her father smile slightly before he bade her to fall to her knees.

"Lady Aphrodite, it is pleasant to meet you again." Aliya said starting to sweat. Did the goddess of love know of her trouble? Was she here because of what Ares had done last night?

"Hades! Here I was coming to visit your lovely daughter and I find you here with her, well the more the merrier." She pulled Aliya off her feet and gave her the once over, than winking Aphrodite took a step back and looked at Hades.

"Just what I thought." Hades came foreword to look at Aliya, trying to see what Aphrodite did that he did not.

"And what is it that you thought my dear?" Winking at Aliya again Aphrodite turned to Hades, her heels clicked with the rapid movement.

"Well couldn't you tell that Aliya is ready for marriage?" Aliya finally catching on, that Aphrodite was helping her walked up to her father.

"Yes, daddy it's been on my mind for some time, the appropriate age for a daughter of Hades to wed." Aphrodite nodded her head and placed her arm around Aliya.

"Marriage?" Hades said grabbing his head and sitting down on the bed.

"Why yes, but it can't be just anyone, it must be a god or demi-god, a mortal would survive a week maybe." Hades looked at Aphrodite.

"Well I guess I can check around the Camp, and I'll send a letter to Zeus asking if anyone needs a second wife…" Aliya stepped forewords and looked her father in the eye.

"No daddy, I want to marry my true love." Hades hung his head, all of them had once had that ambition, none of them knowing that their true love may be born in a few years or centuries.

"But…" Aphrodite held her finger to his lips and then produced a shining amulet from her Prada purse. It was two hearts one of silver and one of gold, intertwining then branching out only to return to the main design.

"Well that's why I'm here, because Aliya is so special I decided that this would be a job for the Amulet Amore."

"The Amulet Amore?" Hades said studying the object closely.

"Why yes, this Amulet will tell you who you're true love is, you only need to wear it and it will glow it's brightest when you're true love is near." Hades sighed.

"I see that you have been watching my daughter." Aphrodite looked hurt as though he may have just ripped out her heart, then she smiled broadly.

"Well yes, with no mother, a father that can only visit three months out of the year and a grandmother that preaches virginity I figured that I could look out for Aliya, after all I am one that you trusted to know of her existence." Hades stood and hugged Aphrodite to him.

"Thank you for that…you don't know how much it means to me." Aliya looked at her father questioningly. He knew that she could take care of herself, that she always had, why did he care so much that she had a guardian?

"Well, sure Hades no problem, but now it's her choice do you wish to wear the Amulet and find your true love?" Aliya nodded and Aphrodite a huge smile on her face placed the Amulet on Aliya's neck.

Almost instantly the amulet began to glow faintly. Aphrodite, went to the far corner of the room and the pick smoke appeared again. She laughed merrily as though all was right in her world.

"Well alright it seems that your true love is in the camp at this very moment. I'd better leave you to now. See you at the dance, Chao!" The sound of semaphores filled the room and Aphrodite was whisked out of sight.

"I like her daddy." Hades hugged Aliya close to him. She sighed and hugged him back, he'd never been this touchy feely and it was annoying the crap out of her. Was it because soon she would be able to travel by herself, be her own person. Or was it something deeper, did Hades do something that even his daughter was not privileged to know.

"Yes I like her too." Just then the Amulet began to burn with such brightness that it blinded Aliya momentarily. Five quick raps came on the door and she quickly went to answer it.

"Coming!" Aliya said rushing to the door. She barely had it open when a man, who looked an awful like Percy, rushed in. Quickly Aliya dropped to one knee, the Amulet still glowing so much that it burned her skin.

"Lord Poseidon, to what do I owe the honor?" When Percy came into the room he could feel Aliya's nervousness. Seeing the Amulet he stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes focused on its glowing light. He wondered what it was. She didn't have it before.

Hades shot off the bed when his brother entered the cabin, and even with a fire going the room grew cold.

"Brother." Hades said, Poseidon nodded.

"Yes brother, I haven't seen you in ages." Poseidon said coolly he then looked at Aliya. A grin broke onto his face and he hugged Hades to him.

"I see that you couldn't keep it in your pants forever aye?" Hades laughed and hugged his brother back.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but you know Zeus." Poseidon nodded.

"Yes I know, he's already put Percy through quite a bit." Hades laughed and hugged his brother again.

"At least he was strong enough to pull through, not many have when Zeus is involved." Hades said thinking about many other children that had been lost because of Zeus's jealousy.

"Umm, daddy?" Hades looked at Aliya and then saw the Amulet's wild glow.

"Well, well, well…" Poseidon looked at Aliya and then the Amulet.

"Hey isn't that?"

"Yeah, the Amulet the Aphrodite wore for years, the one that detects your true love." Poseidon's face spilt into a smile.

"Well, then I guess its Percy or I." Hades, smile remained, and he laughed a hearty chipper laugh that left Percy stunned. 'Okay him laughing and smiling is really starting to creep me out…'

Hades was worried, he trusted his brother but at the same time, Poseidon could be violent, all of the nymphs had told him. Who caused typhoons and hurricanes? Hades also worried because, Percy was his father's son, sooner or later the temper would show through and then where would his daughter be.

Aliya stood quickly and went to the far corner of the room. She eyed all the men until her eyes fell on Poseidon and Percy.

Poseidon was defiantly handsome, and he had a wisdom about him that astonished her. The Percy, who still had a rugged boyish face that she knew he'd keep forever, for it was his fathers.

In her heart she knew that she could love them both, she already did. Percy for the kindness he had shone her the past few days, and Poseidon because he was a great god, loyal to the sea and to her father.

Hades walked up to his daughter and pushed her towards the sea god and his son.

"You must discover which one of them you belong to Aliya…" Aliya swallowed quickly and prayed to which ever god was listening that who ever was her true love would not want to take her away from her father.

"Wait…" Aliya heard herself say before Hades could push her foreword anymore. He looked at her startled.

"Isn't this what you wanted Aliya?" He said. She smiled and took off the amulet. Then with grace she placed it in her pocket.

"I have a better idea. How about I spend time with each of them and then tomorrow before the dance I can place it on each of them, the one it glows on is my true love?" Poseidon and Percy both looked at each other and then at Aliya.

"That sounds like an excellent idea Aliya." Percy said a droplet of sweat running down his face.

"I would enjoy spending company with you Lady Aliya, if it is alright with your father…" Poseidon said, with a grin at Hades.

Hades, finally regaining the composure that Aliya had always known him to have Hades looked at his brother and his nephew.

"This sounds like a permitable way for my daughter to spend the day, but I shall have to send you out with an escort…Amoretto!" Hades loomed over the men in the room, a dark shadow covering most of his face giving him the quality of most nightmares.

A bark sounded throughout the room and soon a huge dog with two heads came bounding into view. Both heads were instantly focused on Hades, and low growls escaped their throats.

"Amoretto I'd like you to accompany Aliya and the man of her choice around today and then again tomorrow. You are to be her body guard and escort, make sure that neither she nor these gentlemen make any funny business." Amoretto barked and trotted over to Aliya.

Aliya hugged the dog to her, it easily came up to her chest, Amoretto looked like she could carry Aliya around if she wanted. Standing and scratching the dog absently behind the ears Aliya looked at the men with thought.

"Poseidon, would you accompany me today around the camp?" Aliya bit her lip as Poseidon stepped foreword. He took her hand and kissed it softly his lips just barely brushing against her skin.

"I would be honored to spend the day in your company Lady Aliya." Aliya smiled, and then looked at Percy it looked as though he had been hit by a trident. She wanted to reassure him but looked to her father instead. He understood and when Poseidon took Aliya from the cabin Hades quickly went to Percy.

"Percy are you alright son?" Percy's head snapped up quickly, he had expected Aliya to pick him first, after all he had spent all this time with her. He shook his head in anger.

"No everything is not alright. I spent all this time with her, I took care of her last night. We spent the entire night together and yet she chooses him over me!" When Percy realized what he said he shut his mouth and eyed the Lord of the Underworld with fearful eyes.

Hades took in everything that Percy had just said. With shadows in his face and fear in his heart Hades approached Percy how was quickly backed into a corner.

"You took care of her? You spent the night with her? What the HELL have you been doing with my daughter!!" Percy shrank into the corner, he couldn't fight, this was his fault.

"If you promise not to tell Aliya that I told you I'll tell you everything she told me." Hades advanced and his voice began to ring in Percy's ears.

"You are in no position to deal Percy Jackson, and I am in no mood to negotiate!"

"You have to promise, I'd rather you kill me than have Aliya hate me forever!" Percy screamed, this caused Hades to back away. With eyes shooting daggers at Percy he bid him to stand.

"Alright Percy, say you're piece then I will decide whether I should kill you or not." When Percy looked at the room it was completely changed. Fire's burned everywhere, the screams of the dying and of the tormented could be heard from all around. A throne of skulls was in place of Aliya's bed. When Hades sat on the throne he was crowed with a golden crown and his clothes were replaced with his robes.

"Plead your case before us Percy Jackosn." Percy looked to see who the 'us' were and saw three beautiful young women sitting behind Hades.

"We are the Fates or Mores, we who spin, measure and cut all time. We will know if you lie Percy Jackson." The three said together. Percy swallowed and began to speak.

sSs

Poseidon lead Aliya his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. They talked as though they were old friends and she enjoyed the company. When they reached the lake Poseidon stopped.

"Now Aliya, I want to take you somewhere. Some of it is frightening but most of it is beautiful. This is what I want to share with you this day." Aliya looked into his eyes and saw sincerity.

"Alright Poseidon do your worst." He laughed and lead her into the water.

"No I must do my best." Out of the waves a group of dolphins rose, attached to them was a chariot made of gold shaped like a shell.

"On to the sea Aliya." Poseidon said eyes twinkling. Taking Aliya's hand gently he lead her to the chariot. He lifted her up and placed her into it, as though she were a princess.

Aliya's heart soared, she had never felt this way before, certainly not with Ares. Her stomach seemed too filled with kittens. Her heart beat rapidly, why did he look at her like that? His eyes gently rolling over every inch of her, taking her in with out stealing anything from her. Was this love or lust?

Amoretto climbed into the chariot eyeing Poseidon with distrust. She could hear her masters heart and she could smell what Poseidon felt about her, she must keep a closer eye.

sSs

Ooooo…A cliffy, anyway keep reviewing and I'll keep updating!!!


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as Amoretto was settled into the chariot the dolphins plunged into the lake. Aliya at first held her breath, but then she saw Poseidon smiling at her. She took a deep gulp of what she thought would be lake water but instead it was air.

"Did you do this for me?" He laughed and looked deeply into her eyes. Aliya found a fire burning there, one that threatened to consume her.

"It was either this or having you all decked out in scuba gear for the entire night, I figured that you would prefer an air bubble." Aliya smiled and then looked out at the world around her.

She was no longer in the lake, of that she was sure. Sea creatures of every shape and size swam around them. A group of sea turtles came up and bid Aliya hello, she said hello back and was greeted by a group of infant turtles who tickled her ears and swam playfully between her fingers.

As the dolphins swam more and more creatures came, and as they neared a glowing hunk of coral the mer-people came out. Aliya completely forgot the other creatures and could only stare at the beautiful women.

They came out in groups of six or seven, pods she assumed they were, one family. One group was covered in starfish and they had beautiful green hair that shown in the dark. Another group wore pearls, and another shells from various forms of life. When the final group emerged Aliya knew that they were the most royal, for they swam like royalty.

The leader of the pod was an older woman, her scales had dimmed to a dull shimmer. She wore under-sea flowers strung through out her gray hair. Her face was lined and worn, but Aliya could see that she had once held beauty there. The woman swam to Poseidon and placed a large sensual kiss on his mouth.

"You have returned home, husband…" Aliya was shocked into silence, and the mer-women around her giggled. The woman lead Poseidon inside the coral palace leaving Aliya alone with the mermaids.

"Look at her hair, it is dull, black as oil. And her skin, white as foam, she is not as beautiful as we are." One of them said next to Aliya. She blushed deeply, and then grew angry.

"You have no right to talk of me so sea dwellers. I am a daughter of Hades and Artemis." They laughed and pulled at her hair.

"Look, when she is angry her skin turns as red as a crab." The first one said again.

"She is a crab sisters." On with yellow hair said beginning to swim circles around Aliya.

"Let's make her uncrabby!" A sister with red hair said, thinking it was a game. The first one, from the old woman's pod knew other wise and egged them on.

"Yes pull her out of that bubble and make her play with us!!" Aliya quickly felt hundreds of fingers pulling at her. She clutched tighter to the chariot and then felt sharp teeth on her knuckles. Letting go immediately Aliya barely had time to take a breath before she was thrown into the icy sea water.

"Play with us!" They screamed at her and began to push and pull her around in the water.

Aliya reached for her staff only to find that she had left it behind. The first girl laughed and pulled her farther down under the water. Soon Aliya could feel the water crushing over her, her eyes began to sting and blur from the salt water.

"You will never be his new bride now…" The older girl whispered in Aliya's ear, then she let go. Aliya tried to swim for the surface, but her lungs were burning and she was so, so very tired.

"Swim faster or you will never make it…" Aliya giving up, on swimming turned her body to face the mermaid. With her last ounce of strength Aliya summoned a ball of fire to be incased in her hands. With a scream that turned to bubbles she threw the fire at the mermaiden.

A scream satisfied Aliya enough so that when she began to sink into a pit where there was on bottom, she had no regrets.

sSs

Percy stared up at the council. With a throat as dry as the Sahara Desert he tried to begin at the beginning, remembering with a smiled that that was where Aliya had said was the best place to start.

"Well it started when Hades came to the camp. I was so upset that he seemed to be devoted to Aliya to love her so much that I was jealous, my father had never done that; one else's had in fact.

"So I stormed out of the room, and she followed me. We talked and she comforted me. She left my cabin, and I felt like I was on top of the world. At three in the morning I felt myself wake. I looked out side and saw Aliya running towards her cabin.

"I followed her and when I got their found that she had been hurt very badly by someone. So I told her to undress…" A growl was heard from Hades. Percy swallowed and then quickly started again.

"Only to her under clothes. Then I filled a bath for her and because I learned healing magic earlier this summer I began to heal her bruises…" Percy then explained about going to Inside which he assumed was Aliya's heart. He told Hades about Innocence, but continued to leave out the god's name who had done these things to Aliya.

"After Innocence pushed me out of Inside I found myself soaked from falling into the tub. Aliya began to panic because she could sense you coming. Pulling on robe she pushed me to the back of the room I watched you with her.

"I then realized that she loved you like I love my mother and you love her how my mother loves me. I helped her get you into bed. We went outside and danced in the moonlight, we fell to the ground and fell asleep."

Hades looked to the Fates, the motioned that he was not lying but concealing part of the truth. Hades then looked thoughtfully at Percy, he had grown into a man, much different than when he first saw him.

"Percy Jackson, you do not tell me who has been hurting my daughter, why?" Percy looked Hades straight in the eye, and there was no longer fear there but loyalty.

"I cannot tell you because Aliya does not wish to cause a war, this would cause trouble for the humans and gods alike. I don't think that she can bear the thought of people being hurt over her." Hades nodded at the answer.

"Tell me now, what do you feel for my daughter. Do you truly care for her or do you lust over her body?" Percy blushed, he wanted to answer truthfully but the truth may get him into more trouble.

"He is preparing to lie to us milord." The smallest fate said with a twinkle in her eyes. Hades looked at Percy sternly and Percy shrugged.

"I have not known her that long Lord Hades, but I do know this, your daughter would harden a dead man and that's the gospel truth." Hades smiled and stepped from the throne, immediately the scene vanished and he was back in his street clothes.

"Well Percy Jackson, you are loyal and truthful, I will not kill you after all, but may I remind you that if anything happens to my daughter when she is under your care I will personally see that you are tormented for eternity…and I am quite famous for those."

sSs

A strong pair of arms grabbed Aliya. Her body was cold, so cold that the warmth from the arms caused her skin to ache. She was laid down on soft fabric, and the warmth was taken from her waist and given to her chest.

A pair of lips lowered on to hers and she felt air move through her chest, but it hurt too much. Then Aliya was above herself watching as Poseidon pushed on her chest and then breathed into her.

It lasted for about five minutes until finally a rough feeling began to pull on Aliya's soul. Her journey back into her body was not as smooth as the trip out.

"Breath, dammit breath!" One last time the lips lowered the breath was given and then Aliya began to sputter and cough. Soon water was pouring out of her lungs and stomach at the same time. She breathed and it hurt, her body trembled from the cold and the wet.

Then Aliya began to cry. She sobbed so hard that it caused her to cough and retch more. Poseidon wiped at her eyes and face with a soft cloth.

"I'm sorry Aliya so very sorry." He sounded hurt as if this had just about ripped out his heart.

"I'm s-so cold…" Aliya said. She then looked around the room for Amoretto and didn't see the giant dog. Poseidon tried to hide his grin. He laid Aliya's head back on the bed and then wrapped his giant body around hers.

Aliya felt the warmth enter her body quickly and it made her heart pound, all at once her blood began to boil. Where was her dog, Amoretto should be stopping this. She turned to tell Poseidon that he should stop.

Then the lips covered hers again. They were soft and smooth, like sinking into a dream. Poseidon breathed in her smell deeply and then went to deepen the kiss. Aliya began to panic. She didn't want this she wanted to know for sure, hell she hadn't even thought about kissing Ares on their first date.

Poseidon didn't sense her panic, he thought that her muscles tightening were from pleasure. His tongue silkily entered her mouth, and she freaked out. As he drew his tongue back in slowly Aliya did the only thing she could think of she quickly bit his lip causing him to draw back.

His eyes looked at her startled and then he smiled. Her lip had his blood on it, it glistened with a slight mix of gold, it made her look like a vampire princess. He kissed her again softly and she shrank away.

"I thought that was what you wanted me to do…" Aliya shook her head, fear clearly in her eyes.

"I…don't like to give myself up to the vulnerability of a kiss at least not until I know for sure." Poseidon nodded though he really didn't understand her reasoning, but then he saw her swollen lips and the hurt in her eyes, someone had cut her deeply.

"Forgive me child, I lost myself…" Aliya smiled.

"Well, tell me about yourself. So that the next time you are lost I can help bring you back." After she said this Poseidon then saw the reason in her eyes, she was still innocent as the day she was born, but what had he expected from her to be a whore?

No, he thought that she would have at least been spoiled, but no she was pure, now purer than her Grandmother.

"Well you've already met my…wife." He sighed. "They are just so beautiful but it never lasts, they get older and jealous, more and more ugly washing away their beauty.

"If they didn't let such emotions get to them they wouldn't age but they are vain creatures. Asia, my current wife, was only her young self for twenty years after I married her, then the other girls began to tease her and she aged faster than the others.

"She has tried to regain her beauty but in doing so she has become a wise women to my mermaids and she will not return to her youth, she knows that soon I will cast her back to her pod so that she can try to teach them right from wrong." Aliya sighed.

"The one that tried to kill me was from her pod." Poseidon laughed loud and strong.

"Oh yes she tried to kill you but couldn't do it. You did quite a number on her tail and Amoretto scratched at her face." Aliya blushed, she did not feel good at the thought of hurting the girl.

"No, no she brought it on herself dear. Your burn caused her to flee from you, and she left a trail of blood so that I could find you. Awful stuff mermaid blood, as green as envy it is. But no after Amoretto clawed her face she swam to the surface. The Sirens took her with them.

"She'll return as one of them, you wait. She was a darling thing though, all full of laughter but you awakened something in her that will make her a good Siren, the need to kill and torment, and you've given her a chance to make the rest of the world hell."

"Well, I'll hunt her down and skewer her with a stick if she tries to hurt me again." Poseidon laughed.

"I know you can darling, don't I know it."

sSs

The Huntresses were on the move. Through every wood and city they hunted for the man named Kael.

Ariane lead them with quick precision, they left nothing unchecked, moving from city to city like a plague a trail of men in their wake.

The men were never killed; no most were left half dead lying near the body of a young, dead prostitute. It was true Ariane had no love for women who sold their bodies, and she saw that the woman had no use in the world for they were spoiled who would want them.

City by city they prowled, always searching and never finding. Ariane was becoming impatient, why could this man not be found?

The Huntresses soon found them selves in Las Vegas. A terrible city, women everywhere dancing showing off their bodies, clinging to men as though they were made of gold, it made her sick.

She watched from the rooftop of her hotel the women below her. So far the Huntresses had increased their numbers by five since the start of their journey. It made her smile just thinking about it.

Ariane sipped her bottled water. He was close, she could feel it, but where, there were no cities around for miles. Then it hit her.

"Marianne!" She called, a small mousy girl appeared before her, one of the new girls who had yet to fall prey to their intense training.

"Yes Ariane?" She asked softly.

"Rouse the others, I know where Kael is." Marianne looked at her in awe.

"Yes Ariane right away!" Ariane smiled and looked out to the desert. 'Here I come Kael, you had better be ready for me…'


End file.
